Book Review: The Drug of the New Millennium

This is the first book I've read about Internet P. I'm not one to take a book to my Bishop or Young Men leaders and say "You have to read this", but I'm thinking about it after finishing this book and feeling the weight of responsibility we have in safeguarding our children. I know that I'm not an expert in the field and so I don't feel like I can judge the credibility of this book, but I do see that the author, Mark B. Kastleman, is quoted often in other articles regarding this subject. A number of years ago when serving in the Young Women's organization I met regularly with our Bishop and was surprised at how adamantly he claimed that Internet P was a serious problem, in our ward with both the youth and the adults. I've been hearing for years from leaders and General Authorities about this problem but honestly haven't done much research on the subject. But after reading this book I have a vastly different outlook on the subject, and it will be a serious concern in our home.

I know that obedience should be main reason for us doing/avoiding something. But I appreciated the scientific explanations in this book regarding two things - first, that P is chemically addictive and second, the reasons why any type of intimate relationship outside of marriage is dangerous and damaging. It's not that I need a scientific reason for my obedience but it has given me insights I hadn't considered before and has given me tremendous incentive to protect my family.

Of course, the prime demographic group being targeted by the P industry is young males from ages 12-17. My boys are right there and while I think they are great kids - the P industry, according to this book, is doing everything it can to get to these kids. Even with constant vigilance there is every likelihood that they will be exposed to some form of P. In fact, they already see so much on TV commercials, billboards, music etc. and of course, they are naturally curious. The P industry is also targeting young women and really no age is immune from their marketing ploys.

Four points about Internet P are that it is:
1. accessible
2. affordable
3. anonymous
4. aggressive
I've thought about these points before, but this book has given me some ideas of how I can teach my children about the harmful effects of P when the world says that something you do in your own home that doesn't hurt anyone else is OK, even normal.

I think some of the other lessons I will take from this book include:
1. Being careful about the "computer example" I set for my children. I need to evaluate how much time they see me on the computer. I certainly would rather have them outside playing ball, reading a book or talking with neighbors than sitting in front of the computer, so I need to be sure to model that for them.
2. Taking the time to develop close relationships with each child. I love being with my children but I can always do more to draw them closer to me. Also, keeping them occupied with good things from study to service there is always so much more that I can do.
3. Making a greater effort to nurture my own marriage, which includes spending more time together, sometimes saying no to others, and helping to keep us focused on our needs and responsibilities at home.
4. Continuing to have family prayer, scriptures and home evening.

I just read a talk by Sister Beck given to the Seminaries and Institues last Fall. She reitterates the point that youth today do not want to get married because of the examples of marriages around them. Indeed, this is most likely very true. Even if a couple remains together, love does not always abound. So I want my marriage to look fun, satisfying and desirable. It already is all of those things, I just want to keep it that way.

I would recommend this book to everyone, young and old. Even if you think you're safe from P, if you have a grandchild visiting you must protect your computer.

Book Review:Summer of the Monkeys

Summer of the Monkeys by Wilson Rawls


My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Hands down, this is one of the best books I've ever read. I don't know why I've never read it before and neither have any of my children. Thomas came home from school last week and said he had started it in class. Then I went to a RS night on children's literature and one of my girlfriends there also recommended it. I picked it up and read it in just 3 short sessions, and loved it. This book will make an excellent read aloud with children at about the age of 8 or 9, when they are starting to have hopes and dreams and are able to do things on their own.

The opening paragraph sums it up: "I got mixed up with a bunch of monkeys and all of my happiness flew right out the window. Those monkeys all but drove me out of my mind."

This book made me laugh, and made me cry - it really does touch your heart.

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Look What We're Having For Dinner

I pulled these from the garden this morning, don't they look yummy? Tell my mother that she should come live with us when she retires......she would love to garden all year long.

I looked at Lucy's pictures of the snow yesterday and was amazed at how much is piled up around the house. Then I read Kelly's comment about how Lucy is living her dream life. And I admit that for a moment I said, "me too". It's very romantic to think about being snuggled up in a cabin with the winter snow falling outside. It's fun to think about winter sports and all the things you can do in it. BUT, I have lived in the snow and it's a lot of other things too. I remember walking to the bus stop and my feet getting wet and knowing that they would remain damp and cold all day long. I hate wet feet. I remember praying for a snow day, not so that I could stay home snuggled up with my family but rather so that I didn't have to go out and be in the cold. I remember that in March, the snow is covered with dirt and becomes mud and isn't very pretty at all. So, as I walk daily out my door and around the neighborhood without worrying about slipping on ice or having to shovel big snow drifts, I think I'm happy right where I am. Most people would call me a "home body" but I don't really like being cooped up inside all day long. The weather here is perfect for someone who like to run, cycle, walk or even swim any time of the year. Don't get me wrong, we do have winter, it gets cold, foggy and rains and I have yet to jump in a pool with the swim team during the months of November, December, January, February, March or April. So, while I do like the snow, I love driving to it, skiing in it, and driving home from it. It's beautiful, necessary and I'm glad it's in the mountains.

Good luck shoveling Lucy. My tulip blubs are about 3 inches up out of the ground. Come visit in March if you need Spring.

My Daily Life

Emily reading the Spongebob tabloids, I love having this little companion with me!

Only Doug in the middle of a rainstorm would want to do this.

A daily jaunt with Oreo

Book Review: The Horse and His Boy

The Horse and His Boy by C.S. Lewis



This is one of my very favorite books. I love the story and especially the lessons that come from the book, they are so personal to me.

We are first introduced to Shasta, the boy, as he lives with his poor father, a fisherman. One night a visitor passes by their cottage and demands hospitality for the night. He is a Tarkaan, or great lord from Calormen. Shasta is told to go out and sleep in the stable but isn't tired and listens in on the adult conversation. He learns that the Tarkaan wants to buy him as a slave and that his father isn't really his father. He learns that as a babe he washed up on the beach in a boat and his step-father took him because he knew he could raise a boy to work. Shasta is actually relieved at the discovery because he knows that he has never loved his father. He goes into the stable to sleep and there finds the horse of the Tarkaan. Bree (the horse) can talk because he is a Narnian horse and tells Shasta that he too is a slave to his owner. Together they make a plan to escape to freedom and leave within the hour. The adventure begins as the two make their way towards Narnia, and is filled with danger and affliction. Near the end of the journey Shasta is climbing a mountain all alone in the dark of night when he feels a presence walking along beside him. He is so afraid that he can't speak for a very long time, but finally he can bear it no longer and asks in a whisper.
"Who are you?"
"One who has waited long for you to speak", replies the unwelcome traveler, "Tell me your sorrows".
So Shasta, somehow feeling comfortable with the unknown companion tells how he has never known his real father, had been brought up by a stern fisherman, he tells the story of his escape, how they were chased by lions and forced to swim for their lives, the dangers of Tashbaan, the night among the tombs, more lions and the hunger, thirst and fatigue they endured.
"I do not call you unfortunate", replies the Voice.
"Don't you think it was bad luck to meet so many lions?"
"I was the lion", says the Voice, "I was the lion who forced you to join with Aravis. I was the cat who comforted you among the houses of the dead. I was the lion who drove the jackals from you while you slept. I was the lion who gave the Horses the new strength of fear for the last mile so that you should reach King Lune in time. And I was the lion you do not remember who pushed the boat in which you lay, a child near death, so that it came to shore where a man sat, wakeful at midnight, to receive you."

Isn't that just like us. We think our lives are hard, we are so unlucky or so unfortunate and yet what we don't know or realize is that we each have a story we are writing and we are carefully watched over and guided, pushed and protected by Christ. From the Doctrine and Covenants, "...there I will be also, for I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in our hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up."

As they are walking, Shasta begins to realize there is light and he is glad the long, dark night is over. He turns and sees walking beside him a Lion. It was from the Lion that the light came and there was nothing more terrible or beautiful. "after one glance at the Lion's face he slipped out of the saddle and fell at its feet. He couldn't say anything but then he didn't want to say anything, and he knew he needn't say anything."

This entire scene is summed up in 2 Nephi 2:4, "Wherefore, now after I have spoken these words, if ye cannot understand them it will be because ye ask not, neither do ye knock; wherefore, ye are not brought into the light, but must perish in the dark."

Isn't the Lord waiting for us to ask as well, and if we don't we cannot come into the light.

Another one of my favorite images is when the lion, Aslan comes to the horses and one named Hwin says, "Please, you're so beautiful. You may eat me if you like. I'd sooner be eaten by you than fed by anyone else." Isn't that a great image for being swallowed up in Christ? Aslan responds with a kiss and says, "Dearest daughter, I knew you would not be long in coming to me. Joy shall be yours."

Don't you want to be that humble and submissive?

What a great story, what great lessons.

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Matt in the Dominican Republic

Friends

Last November my girlfriend, Ana, moved to Montana. Ana is what I would consider a most loyal friend. She moved to Merced so her husband could complete his PhD at UC Merced, and when I first met her she was a stay at home mom with two young boys. I listened to her express herself and could feel her spirit and was so happy to have her join me as my first counselor in Young Women's. Here is where the story turns difficult. Just a short time later, it became apparent that she would need to return to full-time work in order to support her family. As any working mother knows, it is a tricky balance to both support a family financially and meet the emotional, physical and spiritual needs of all the family members. I watched in amazement as she felt prompted to somehow have more children. Her first two children are adopted and so she and her husband began the foster family program. And a very long story later, they were able to adopt two more children. She did this all while continuing to work full-time and serve in Young Women's.

Here is a picture of her singing at a Relief Society dinner.

Something heartwarming happened to me at this dinner. It was the type of function where you enter the cultural hall and sit at any table of your choosing. I sat down next to a girlfriend and as we were eating I noticed that the other women who were also at this table were all women that had served with me in Young Women's. We had all been released over a year earlier, but I felt like we were still drawn to each other. Isn't it interesting how you come to love the people you serve with.

The think I miss about Ana, is now she is a stay at home mom again (she's also a freelance writer among other things). And I wish she were here because we could actually spend "fun" time together not just serve together. Montana is lucky to have her.

Book Review: The Last Lecture

The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch


My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Thoughts I enjoyed from this book:

There's a lot of talk these days about giving your children self-esteem. It's not something you can give; it's something they have to build.

Time must be explicitly managed like money.

You can always change your plan, but only if you have one.

Ask yourself: Are you spending your time on the right things?

Treat the disease, not the symptom.

Look for the best in everybody. If you wait long enough, people will surprise and impress you. Almost everybody has a good side. Just keep waiting. It will come out.

Experience is what you get when you didn't get what you wanted.

One of the things I admired about Mr. Pausch was his willingness to accept his diagnosis and face the fact that he was going to die, so bravely. Of course, initially he went through treatment and felt like he might be successful in surviving cancer; but when the disease was no longer treatable, he accepted it and quite literally moved on.

I feel somewhat mystified that in our society everyone seems to think you can "fight" cancer, or that if you have a positive mental attitude you can overcome a terminal diagnosis. When cancer patients don't survive, I wonder if near the end they feel like they didn't fight hard enough or weren't positive enough. I don't think we have that much control. I think that's why I appreciated his attitude of acceptance and taking care of the things the way he wanted to, and not flying all over the world seeking a miraculous cure.

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Matt

Matthew left last evening for his annual excursion to the Dominican Republic. Yes, I am nervous with the earthquake just occurring in Haiti; aftershocks can be just as big or bigger anywhere on the fault line. I don't know enough about the area to know if the fault goes through the DR, but it does make me nervous about another earthquake or a tsunami. There are not a lot of things that would keep Matt from taking this trip, he really loves to help the people there. I know he loves seeing patients relieved of pain and having dental health restored. He is also touched by the gratitude extended to him. Sometimes it's hard for me to understand why he would take a week off work - to do more work. But there is something in Matt that loves service. I'd like to say I would go to the DR if I could, but I'm embarrassed to say that I don't have the same desire right now. I'd like to say it's because my life is already so filled with service that when I take a week off, I deserve a vacation. But Matt's life IS filled with service - from the office to church to home and he still has the desire to help others. I remember as students, when we lived near large university hospitals, Matt would check the hospital roster for LDS families. Then he would visit them and see if there was anything he could do to help them. We made some really good friends this way.

Matt is a good influence on me. I hope his trip is successful and he returns home safely.

Book Review: These is My Words

These Is My Words by Nancy E. Turner


My rating: 3 of 5 stars
It seems that most of my girlfriends have read this book this year. Everyone gave it a thumbs up, so I felt compelled to read it. I was very surprised by the violence. Some time ago I read Dead Man's Walk and found the gruesome descriptions of the fighting between the calvary and the Comanchee Indians to be such that I only recommended it to my brothers. So I was taken back by the greater amount violence in this book - from Indian raids, to rape, murder, and infidelity, this book was not just about being a pioneer as I had imagined.

While I enjoyed the story, I wondered if parts of it could possibly be true. For instance, the sharp shooting ability of Sarah, from everything I've ever heard, the guns in that period were so poor that being a sharp shooter was nearly impossible. So when Sarah kills a rattlesnake that is climbing up the chair where her baby daughter is sitting....I wondered. I guess it's just a story and so I shouldn't worry about the details.

Here is what I did like - the relationship between Sarah and her husband Jack Elliot. To me, it was the perfect combination of love and independence for Sarah. While she often longed for him to be home taking care of her, in reality she was capable of handling almost every situation she encountered. I could picture myself in her shoes, wanting the attention and the romance and the help when needed, but not restricted to having her husbands do everything for her. I love that he was there, holding her for the times that she really needed him, but then was gone and believed in her ability to handle everyday life and even really hard situations. I love that he had been in love with her for a long time, even while she was married to Jimmy. I love that he was attentive to her personal desires and did what he could to help her satisfy those desires.

One thing I really related to was the journal keeping. In the beginning when she is a young girl, she keeps her journal very regularly. I love her sharing her inner desire to learn and her desire for more education. As life goes on, she becomes busier with the needs of a growing family, the responsibilities of managing an income and serving others. Her journal keeping becomes less regular, she begins to write weeks apart and then months and even years. But at the same time you know that she isn't writing simply because she is so busy and so tired. Even though she isn't writing it, you know that she stills love the beauty of sunsets, is concerned for others, and misses Jack.

I think it was the perfect ending. Hard, yes, but perfect for the story.

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Reading with my Children

For Relief Society this week I was asked to share some thoughts about reading with my children. In summary here are the 3 reasons I shared.

1. Reading together enhances and builds a relationship because it initiates conversation. From the time my kids were infants we've read books together and it always gives us something to talk about. I want my kids talking to me - it doesn't always matter what we talk about, I just want to establish open lines of communication. I remember after reading Walk Two Moons (Creech), one child said it was the saddest book he had ever read. We still have sayings that come from that book, that we say in our home. I'm glad we've talked about sad things - I hope that in the future when sad things come into his life, he'll be able to talk to me about them. Last summer, I read The Circuit (Jimenez), and then had all my family members that could, read it as well. However, I had one who child who refused to read it. When he returned to school in the fall, he found that he could earn extra points by reading this book, so he did and once he was finished I asked him about it. He said, "I don't discuss books". Ouch that hurt me. So I thought about it all day and decided that I really wanted this boy to talk to me and so I went to his room and picked up two of the books that he enjoys and read them. I found that he would talk about books - as long as we were talking about gadgets, scientific experiments, and flying children who conquered evil adults. I'm just glad to get him talking to me.

2. Books help me teach values, help us understand human nature and they make us more aware of the world. David O. McKay is said to have arisen in the early hours of the morning to read classic literature. He called those authors the "minor prophets". I think it is because these authors write about things that are true for all mankind. The feelings, emotions, problems, hardships and joys we experience in mortality are the same for humans everywhere. I love that Scott just finished reading East of Eden for the second time. I love that he comes to me and shares a paragraph and says, "Mom, this is so true". While I don't believe John Steinbeck has all the gospel truth, I do think that by reading this book, Scott has a better understanding of the story of Cain and Abel, and of human nature. In 4th grade Doug did a unit on the Japanese internment. I read every book on the topic that I could find to him. This week in the newspaper there was a picture of some elderly Japanese members of our community who were actually in an interment camp. The picture caught his eye and he read the whole article. Books make history and values personal and come alive.

3. Finally, I read to my children because I want them to hear how words are put together in a way that moves the heart. I want them to read good descriptions. I want them to learn from the experts. Great books can do all that.

Before December is Too Far Gone

I love the month of December. There are always so many exciting things happening. It doesn't lend itself to blog writing though and so I'm catching up today.

Both Thomas and Douglas advanced in scouting. Thomas is now a Bear and loves his cub scout den. The next step for Doug is Eagle, all he needs to do is wait the required time period and complete his Eagle service project. Our boys have been very blessed with Priesthood leaders who believe in the Scouting Program and have supported our den and troop. Our boys have also had great scout leaders like their dad and cousin Ganon.


This month we also attended many musical programs. Twenty-six years ago I was given the promise that my home would be filled with music. At the time, I only imagined a stereo playing beautiful music. That part has come true, but our home is also filled with live, loud, joyful, beautiful music and lots of it. Almost everyone plays the piano and several play a second instrument. The lid to the piano is almost always lifted so that the sound produced projects through the whole house. Matt sometimes looks at me with a twinkle in his eye and asks, "is this what you really wanted?" I have come to love this about my life and because I didn't really anticipate it, it surprises me and makes me stop and realize how much joy it brings to me, truly my cup runneth over. The highlight of the month for me was getting to play a special musical number with my boys at our Stake Christmas program. I played the organ using great registrations including the festival trompette stop, something I could never use in Sacrament Meeting, so so fun. Scott and Doug were on the piano together and a another girl played flute. I know the music was not difficult and we were not anything spectacular, but it was about so much more than the music for me. Working on something together with my boys, laughing together, playing LOUD and seeing who could play the loudest, honestly these are days and memories I will treasure my whole life. I look back and am so glad that Karin and I played flute duets together and I look forward to playing with Tom and Emi. I am so lucky to have a friend, named Julie who encouraged me to play the organ for the program and helped with all the registrations. And I'm so blessed with a sister, Ellen, who let me help her put the program together. I had so much fun working with the youth and she was "so close to fabulous" with them. I wish I had pictures to share, but that didn't happen. Here are a few other December happenings.





Music in our home is played by anyone, any age. Here is Bob's older brother, a mere 92. He has always loved music, always played music, always entertained others. When we lived in Seattle, he and his wife were so kind to take us on their yacht through the San Juan Islands, up into Canada through more islands to some places quite remote and all so, so beautiful. Always he traveled with a keyboard and in every harbor we visited, in the evening he would bring out his keyboard to the deck and play for everyone in the harbor. Of course, everyone loved it.

I love my piano. While I don't recommend going into debt to make large purchases for nonessential items, I do not regret this purchase. My husband is good to me and bought this beautiful piano and it's almost paid for. For me it wasn't about having expensive items to display in our home. We are still using hand-me down furniture and sleeping in the bed we bought at a used furniture store 22 years ago. I know I'll be able to make other purchases when we've taken care of this debt. This was just a very strong desire I had to give my children the opportunity to play a nice instrument. And the blessings and talents developed are so worth it.

I have children that are naturally drawn more to one sibling than the other. These team-ups always occur exactly this way in our home. Scott and Thomas are always together. Doug and Emily and Karin are always together. We were sorry to not have Karin here for the gingerbread house decorating.





Another rehearsal, a band concert, some nutella on graham crackers, a singing performance.




Finally, cookie day. Next to the Christmas Eve party, this is the event most looked forward to by my kids. I can't believe we've been doing it for 18 years. Here is the royal baker, Aunt Marie, I don't think she's ever been in the pictures. We are so grateful that she willingly does all the work, bakes the cookies, hosts the party and does all the clean-up. She is the best. It's been fun in the last couple of years to have other adults join us. For so many years it was just Marie and me and all the kids. But what fun we've had, what great memories, and what great times to come.

To Columbia, looking for gold or sunshine

This year Thomas is in the fourth grade and just like every other Californian fourth-grader he is studying California history. I've had a tradition of reading several stories to my children that go along with what they are studying in school. This year we've read with cousin Madison (also a fourth-grader) the following books: Riding Freedom, By the Great Horn Spoon, and Island of the Blue Dolphins. All three have to do with stagecoach drivers, the gold rush or Indians. So Jennie (Madison's mom) got us all to take a trip to Columbia today. Gold was first discovered here in 1850 and the town went from about 10 people to 8,000 in 4 weeks. I don't know how much gold was actually recovered from this area but there is still a working gold mine nearby. I was hoping to see some sunshine today, often when you drive up into the mountains you get out of the fog and into blue sky. That wasn't the case today, it stayed foggy but everyone had a good time.


Emily playing pioneer dress-up with cousin Brent.









The cutest part of the day for me was taking a stagecoach ride and getting held up by a bandit. Emily was truly afraid. She did not want me to take a picture of him. When we got home and she was telling dad the story of what happened, she said that the bandit was wearing a red bandanna with meat on it. The only thing I can figure out is that there were paisleys on the bandanna and they look like a piece of meat...maybe a steak or a whole ham. It's funny how we all see the same things so differently.


If you enlarge this picture (double-click on it), you will see the meat on his bandanna.

Happy Doug

Bamboo grows in the large creek about a mile from our home. Recently, the city was cutting it down in order to clean out the creek bed. Doug asked me for days on end to please let him gather some to bring home so that he could build something with it. I wasn't too excited about loading the back of my van with long bamboo poles and I refused. Here he is after asking Dad one time. I'm glad he has a dad that understands why he would want to try to build something out of bamboo.

Before December is Too Far Gone

Oh what fun December is....so many of the things we did are pictured and written about in other family blogs, especially Karin's. But I have to share with mom a few of the same and a few new events before we are into Spring. The next few posts will finish out the year 2009.

Dear Kelly

A thousand miles?? Really?? I thought about it all day yesterday, even checked your blog first thing this morning to see if you had changed your mind. Like you would do that.

Mostly, I'm jealous because I would love to do it. I don't think - no, I know I wouldn't make it. I even calculated how much I'd have to run if I ran 5 days a week instead of 3 - I still won't make it. Then I remembered how my knee bothers me and that's why I took up cycling, so how about I cycle 1000 miles this year? Hey I'll be done by June. Besides I couldn't start a goal like this now because it's already January 7th - I'm seven days late for a new resolution....perhaps next year.

I'm happy you have something that you love and you're good at it. Please put a mileage counter on your blog so we can cheer you on. I can't wait to hear how many races you continue to win.

I think exercise is wonderful and can't imagine not doing it. Last February I taught a fitness class for a Stake Relief Society night. I tried to present different ways of exercising. One idea was to wear a pedometer and track the number of miles you walk. I offered to "virtually" walk the length of California a mere 817miles with any sister. Three ladies took up my offer and we walked those miles in less than 9 months. One sister walked the width of California and had so much fun drawing her route on a map.

I had to laugh at your competitive need to do anything any other girl was doing. When we lived in San Francisco and I did all my running in Golden Gate Park, I had a similar motto: I will not be passed by any girl or any fat guy.

Anyway, good luck!!!

100 Things You Should Do In Your Lifetime

Number 3

Watch your daughter fall in love.

100 posts and My Daily Life

Hey, I just realized I've reached my 100th blog post. Wow what a landmark for me - someone who is so insecure writing. Right now I'm sitting in front of my computer because my leg is throbbing. I just returned from Target where I purchased new bins - part of my clean out and get organized mood. I was leaving the store with my bins piled so high I couldn't see in front of me. Traveling at full speed ahead, I crashed my cart into a short pillar outside the store. My shins then collided with full force into my shopping cart. It hurt so much I actually screamed out loud. I felt like such an idiot hobbling to my car and when I got home I had to have Scott unload the car so that I could crash here on the couch with an ice pack.

I'll Be in Trouble

Well, it's Sunday evening and if I don't blog I'll be in trouble with my husband. Yes, I was surprised to have him ask me to please update by blog because he already knows just about everything I do before I write about it. He says that while he is waiting for patients to get numb, he likes to read family blogs. In fact, like many, he feels like he has gotten to know family members much better just by reading all the blogs. So I'll try to get back on the blogging wagon, it isn't because I didn't want to, I just chose to use my time in different ways last month and I don't regret a minute of it. December was wonderfully busy, it may take me a month just to write about it. But I'm not going to start that tonight, instead I'm writing down a couple of ideas I have for the new year.

First of all I love my sister Kelly's regular post entitled "Things I Love on Friday's", I wish I had thought of it or I wish I could copy her idea. I especially liked her last comments on the year 2009 and reading the things that she is grateful for. Check our her blog if you want to see a cute mom and a wonderful, kind, and honest person. I am going to find a way to regularly share my joys better. Truly, I want to write them down for me, so don't feel obligated to read. (All two of you - haha). I just finished reading These Is My Words and related so well to Sarah, the main character. At the beginning she keeps a journal very regularly but as life increases in busyness, as more children arrive, as the need to help others surpasses her personal desires, her journal entries first decrease and then become random, spaced out by months and even years. I understand, it isn't that you aren't doing or feeling things, in fact the feelings seem to intensify with age, it's that you have so many "to do's" that writing about them gets lost and you have to try to remember them in your heart.

I also just discovered a blog (turned book) called The Happiness Project. It looks interesting to me so I may share more of that as I look in to it. I feel like I have so many answers to the qustion of how to be truly happy; but I'm interested to see how others, especially those without the Gospel, find it or what they learn in their journey.

OK, so I'm at least back on the blogging band wagon, Matt will be so pleased. Stay tuned for more regular posts.....I hope.